The Sprout

The newsletter for North Hinksey & Botley

Issue 147 May 2020

The Sprout

Issue 147, May 2020

Contents

3 Letters to the Editor

4 Botley Walks

9 Hedgehog Awareness

10 Help with Bills

11 Painted Pebbles

12 Key Worker

13 Love Your Weeds

14 Planning apps

15 Scarecrows Galore

16 Visual Therapy

17 Randoms

19 LOCKDOWN SUPPORT

From the Editor

After the excitement of last month, this month’s Sprout seems a bit quiet,

despite the ongoing emergency. The Parish Council has continued to do

a good job of collating information about all the help available, and this

has been distilled into a poster, through the unstinting efforts of Cllrs

Lorna Berrett and Chris Church. You will find it on page 19 and on the PC

website and noticeboards. While we can’t compete with Facebook for

instant updates on who’s delivering the best meals, what happened to the

Fairy Doors, who sang loudest on May Morning (but see page 17 for a

topical version of Over the Rainbow), etc, etc, what we can do is provide

more detailed reading. So you will find some routes for walks around

Botley on pages 4 to 8, and things to look out for on pages 11 and 15 (but

don’t forget to put your painted pebbles back where you found them so

the next person can share the fun). Help with crisis-induced debt from

Citizen’s Advice (page 10). Things for gardens on pages 9 (making

hedgehog highways) and 13 (appreciating your weeds). If you haven’t

started already, now’s the time to beautify your front garden ready for the

Botley in Bloom contest (page 18). And if what you’re missing is the

cultural input possible in a city like Oxford, help is on hand on page 16.

We’re sorry that the May 2020 Sprout is so short, and only available

online. There are no adverts for the duration, so no money to fund the

printing costs, quite apart from issues around delivery. Let’s hope we can

get back to normal in June. Stay well and happy reading.

Ag MacKeith

Letters to the Editor

Community asset

I write to you as Chair of Oxford Rugby Club to invite the local community

to stroll to the End of North Hinksey Lane and use the Oxford Club as a

Community Resource, not just during these difficult times but for the

foreseeable future. There are approximately 14 acres of open space

allowing for straightforward social distancing. Car parking is easily

accessible.

As temporary caretaker of the club I have checked security each morning

and seen a steady trickle of users throughout April, be they serious

runners, joggers, families taking a stroll or responsible dog walkers.

Everyone has respected the grounds, for which we are very grateful.

All we ask is that users stay off the 1st XV pitch which has been seeded,

and that dog walkers to use the edges or the grassed parking area at the

top of the grounds.

John Brodley, Chair ORFC

Traffic Calming in North Hinksey Village

The lockdown has resulted in a huge increase in walkers discovering the

peace and beauty of North Hinksey Village. We welcome them, but are

concerned for their safety when the usual traffic resumes. Although the

road leads only to the Rugby and tennis clubs, there is significant traffic,

particularly at weekends when 30 mph is typical and 50 mph has been

witnessed more than once.

This is potentially dangerous bearing in mind here is no pavement -

meaning pedestrians, small children, cyclists, dog walkers and horses all

have to walk in the road. It is only just wide enough for two vehicles to pass

in places and is not gritted in winter. Of particular concern is the blind

corner passing College Farm and the straight section from Hinksey House

to the end of the village green where drivers frequently put their foot down.

There are several families with young children in the village and it is not

safe for them to play outside on the green.

When the road was rebuilt after the sewer was renewed, an arbitrary 15

mph sign was painted on the road, but this has now worn away. The cul-de-

sac sign at the village turn-off was demolished several years ago by a

speeding truck. We believe a 20 mph speed limit would appropriate, but we

invite Sprout readers to share their opinion in the next edition.

Rod Chalk, Chris Andrews, Chris Sugden, Elaine Sugden

Out and about – Botley Walks.

1. The beacon and beyond

We are fortunate to have easy access to some lovely open spaces.

There are many circular walks that anyone can use for their daily

exercise.

One (often surprisingly quiet) is the walk up past the Jubilee Beacon,

which offers several options. But start (perhaps from West Way) with a

steady walk uphill – Crabtree and Laburnum roads, or Hutchcomb and

Cedar, to Arnolds Way. By the bus stop at the top of Laburnum take the

path between the older houses and the new Turner Close development.

Follow the narrow path – to avoid social distancing issues turn right

about 80m along on to the recreation ground and then walk alongside

the hedge parallel to the path. At the top of the field, go through the gap

in the hedge (may be muddy). Ignore the paths going left and right and

follow the grassy track uphill, with a hawthorn thicket on the right for

about five mins. At the top (through another possibly muddy patch) the

path opens up with fields on either side.

At this point everything changes. Walk 50m and look back and right for

views off to the north-east across north-east Oxfordshire as far as

Bicester and beyond. Another 100m and then you’re close to the

beacon itself (made by Stan Lewendon, former pupil of Matthew Arnold

school, and installed by NHPC in 2012 so we could play our part in the

national beacon chain celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee – Ed).

You can now see (on a clear day) the Cotswolds in the far north-west;

turn around and there’s the Chilterns to the south-east. South-west

views are obstructed by Boars Hill and Cumnor Hurst but the Ridgeway

is visible between the two. On a clear sunny evening the view from

here is simply astonishing.

Beyond the beacon there are various options. Carry on over the hill and

turn right when you reach the Chilswell Path. A left soon after leads you

up across a field and up to Cumnor Hurst woodland. Walk up through

the wood to the open glade at the top (shown in the photo with its trig

point). Beyond that is a path to the edge of the wood where there are

great views across to the Ridgeway. From the Hurst return the same

way (or find the circuitous route over a stile near the glade down to the

new housing development in Chawley by Cumnor Hill).

Alternatively turn left

along Chilswell Path,

going south. A few

minutes will take you

to the junction where

paths go west to

Wootton, south to

the Chiswell Valley

(aka Happy Valley),

across a field up into

the woods on Boars

Hill, and also east.

The eastern route is

a narrow path that will take you into the Hinksey Heights woodland and

nature reserve. Fork left and uphill shortly after entering the wood and

the path leads to Brookes Westminster campus.

From here you can either:

• Walk through the west side of the campus towards new buildings

at the back. From here there is a tarmac path that connects to the

Turner Close development and your circle is complete.

• Walk down Harcourt Hill and turn left into Raleigh Park – our

most valuable green space. Cut through the park and take the exit out

into Raleigh Park Rd. From there you can connect back to Botley.

• Walk further down Harcourt Hill, close to the A34, and return to

West Way via Westminster Way or use the subway under the A34 to get

to North Hinksey.

Chris Church

2 Tour of Botley and North Hinksey

There are two versions of this walk, with optional detours to take in

various sights. Both alternatives start in North Hinksey Lane and follow

the same route through to Raleigh Park. The longer route (the Grand

Circular Tour) is nearly 6 miles long. The second option (the Slightly

Less Grand Circular Tour) is just over 2 miles long. Neither walk is

suitable for cyclists, but either is suitable for walking dogs (although

they must be put on a lead in the Cemetery and at Conduit House).

Grand Circular Tour

Start at the western side of McDonalds’ car park. Head south down

North Hinksey Lane to Botley Cemetery to view the Commonwealth

War Graves. Come out of the cemetery, turn right and find the five-

barred gate of North Hinksey Nature Reserve on your left after 100

yards. From here you can admire the Old Manor House on the opposite

side of the road, before you enter the Reserve through the gate. Go

down the path past the pond (you will see the Community Orchard to

your left) and exit on the far side into Minns Business Park. A footpath

runs along the left side of the building in front of you, leading to the

footbridge over the Seacourt Stream and bringing you out into Seacourt

Nature Reserve.

Turn right and head south out of the Reserve via a gate under a

massive pylon into open grassland – Oxford Preservation Trust’s

Hinksey Meadow, famous for wild flowers and butterflies. Continue,

keeping the Seacourt Stream on your right, until you reach the kissing

gate at the far right corner of the field. Exit onto Willow Walk. Turn right

and cross the bridge back onto North Hinksey Lane. Turn left and look

out for St Lawrence

Church at the bend.

After visiting the

Church go back to

the Lane and take

a left at North

Hinksey Primary

School onto the

service road.

Halfway along,

follow the cycle

path running up

past allotments and

through the A34

underpass to Westminster Way where you turn left again. Just before

you reach the A34 cross the road and go through the gate into Raleigh

Park. Walk straight up the hill until you come to a wide open space near

the top then turn around to see a good view of central Oxford and its

spires. Facing downhill, take the path to your right which runs past small

ponds to the gate onto Harcourt Hill. To visit the Conduit House (see

photo), turn left and walk about 100 yards down the hill and follow the

signs. You can’t go inside, but you can marvel at the ancient graffiti

scratched into the stone. The 17th century conduit took water from local

streams to the city, and the original water course, recently unblocked

thanks to local efforts, runs through the end of North Hinksey village. On

your way again, carry on uphill past Brookes Harcourt Hill campus. At

the end of the road, continue straight on for about a mile, ignoring the

gate on your right. This footpath is tree-lined and starts off quite wide

but narrows towards the end. Where the trees end you will find yourself

at a crossroads with a major footpath (the Chilswell Path). Turn right

and follow this new footpath to Hurst Lane, passing the small wood that

is Cumnor Hurst on your left. Turn left up Hurst Lane and at the end

cross Cumnor Hill. Walk a few yards uphill and then climb over a stile at

the start of two footpaths. The one to the left leads to Chawley Village,

but you should take the right hand path alongside Long Copse. Follow

this footpath downhill across open grassland. As you near the A420 you

walk past some rushes and pass through a few trees to a double gate

which takes you through to a final field. Head towards the gate in the far

right hand corner and continue through to Orchard Road and past St

Andrew’s Church to Eynsham Road. Turn right and after about 50 yards

cross Eynsham Road and walk down Fogwell Road.

Enter the playing field on your left and walk past swings and exercise

machines to the trees on the

far right side. Here about half

way between the exercise

machines and the bmx bike

area (see photo), a path runs

through a gap in the trees

over a plank. This leads to

the start of an open area of

trees and grassland between

Fogwell Rd Estate and the

A420. Continue until you can

go no further in that direction,

when you turn right into the end of Fogwell Road.

Walk down this end section of Fogwell Road and continue along a

footpath. Turn right along another footpath between the houses and turn

left again at a lamppost. At the end bear left across the road and take

another footpath which brings you through to Broad Close. Turn left

down Deanfield Road and then a right turn will take you back to

Eynsham Road.

At Eynsham Road turn left and continue along West Way past the

Seacourt Bridge Pub on your left and Elms Parade shops on your right,

to the A34 flyover. Here cross West Way at the traffic lights, go left and

return to your starting point at the entrance to North Hinksey Lane.

Slightly Less Grand Circular Tour

After viewing the spires of Oxford

from Raleigh Park (see photo)

continue uphill to the gate at the

top. Follow the short tree-lined

footpath to the junction of Lime

Road and Yarnells Hill. Bear left

along Lime Road. After Cedar

Road go through a gate on your

right into the Lower Field part of

Louie Memorial Playing Fields.

Walk downhill past the

playground and into a copse at

the bottom of the field

(Hutchcomb’s Copse) taking one

of several footpaths there which continue down through the trees to a

concrete path where you turn left. You will see a pond and fen area to

your left immediately before reaching houses and then a gated exit onto

Hurst Rise Road.

Turn left and walk uphill around 100 yards until the road veers left. Here

cross and turn right into Cumnor Rise Road, an unadopted road which

you can follow down to Cumnor Hill. Turn right at the bottom and follow

West Way keeping the Seacourt Bridge Pub on your left and Elms

Parade shops on your right, under the A34 flyover. After walking a short

distance further you will pass Seacourt Tower on your left and reach

your starting point on the right at the entrance to North Hinksey Lane.

With thanks to Chris Sugden

Hedgehog Awareness Week 2020

The week commencing 3rd May 2020 is Hedgehog Awareness Week –

our annual opportunity to do our bit to protect these much-loved wild

animals.

If you’d like to help reverse the decline in hedgehog numbers the most

helpful action you can take is to link your garden. By making a small

hole in your fence (13cm square) you can help ensure that hedgehogs

have a sustainable habitat for foraging and finding mates. As in previous

years, I have five ‘Hedgehog Highway’ signs (pictured below) to give

away to the first five Sprout readers who contact me with a photo of a

newly created hedgehog access point.

This year we’re also focusing efforts on reducing roadkill (estimated to

be up to 100,000 hedgehogs nationally per year). If you’d be willing to

stick a ‘hedgehog crossing area’ sign (pictured) on one of your wheelie

bins to raise awareness among passing drivers (albeit only on bin

nights), please contact me. I’d be particularly pleased to post these to

residents of Finmore Road, Crabtree Road and Westminster Way which

are hotspots for hedgehog roadkill.

Looking forward to hearing from you on roger.dalrymple@spc.oxon.org

and thank you for your help for hedgehogs.

Roger Dalrymple (British Hedgehog Preservation Society)

Coronavirus:

Get help if you can't

pay household bills

The arrival of coronavirus in the UK and the threat of infection has

emptied streets, confined us in our houses, closed shops and offices

and filled hospitals with thousands of patients. So far so bad, but the

financial issues have widened the scale of the problem: many of those

fortunate enough to remain healthy have suffered a loss of income so

drastic that even the paying of essential household bills is difficult.

However, there are definite steps you can take to tackle these bills.

Many banks and utility companies have already reached out to their

customers with offers of help. So don’t ignore your bills, but get in touch

with the companies to whom you owe money, or expect to owe money.

They might be able to help by redistributing your debts, letting you pay

in smaller amounts, over a longer time period, or on a deferred basis.

If you are repaying a mortgage, contact your provider. The government

has mooted the idea of a three-month mortgage payment holiday and

you might be eligible for it.

If you pay rent, contact your landlord to discuss the situation. If you are

at risk of being evicted, remember that since 26 March 2020 the law on

evictions has temporarily changed and, for many types of tenancy,

eviction notices have to last a minimum of three months.

You might be able to claim benefits, or enhanced benefits if you already

receive them. The Citizens Advice website has details:

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk

As for Council Tax, if your income has dropped or you are on benefits,

you might qualify for reductions. Contact your local district council, using

the details on your latest bill.

Get in touch with your gas or electricity supplier, as well as

telephone/broadband company. Their help line phone numbers should

be on your latest bill. They can tell you whether a special payment plan

can be set up.

If you owe income tax, HMRC has a free help line you can ring: 0800

015 9559 (Mon-Fri 8 to 4).

For further information, Citizens Advice Adviceline is always there to

help you: 0300 330 9042.

Painted Pebbles

Lockdown with three smallish

children isn’t easy, but it was made

better by the amazing weather

we’ve been having!

It has also made us look around at

more local things to do and -- let’s

be fair – we are blessed, living in

this beautiful corner of Oxford. As a

family we have discovered many

paths and trails right from our front

door.

One of these amazing places that I

have only just discovered (with a

little help from my friends!) was

Hinksey Heights Nature Board

Walk. You get to it at the end of

Stanton Road, halfway up Harcourt

Hill (or from the Hinksey Heights

Golf Club, though this is closed for

now). This lovely location was

made all the better by the colourful

and beautifully painted rocks we

found there courtesy of Holly,

Nathan, Heidi and Olivia Harwood.

We spent a good few hours

roaming in the reserve, finding over

33 stones.

Since we’ve visited there have

been a new set added to the

collection. I can’t wait to go back in

search of them! I’ve seen many

people posting their finds on the

Botley Notice board so from

everyone in my family, “Thank you,

Holly” for making lockdown a little

more bearable.

Eloise Goodhand

Key Worker

Becoming a key worker wasn't my first thought a month ago when

panic-applying for a job at Tesco, but after weeks of slinging food into

cars at click-and-collect I'm now taking the public appreciation in my

stride. My younger brother, who started a week before me, says he's

also learnt to gracefully accept the mask-muffled mutterings of 'I really

appreciate what you're doing, mate!'

At a time of mass unemployment it seems strange to be praised for the

privilege of working. One taxi driver made this clear. When watching him

load a vehicle's worth of bottled water ordered by his client into his car, I

– polishing my car-side conversation – said 'well that's panic paying our

wages.' 'Paying your wages' he corrected, 'we're barely getting anything

right now.'

Since the hiring of 45,000 new workers by Tesco alone, supermarkets

have become oases of employment in a drying economy. Staffed by

armies of personal shoppers (including at least three Matthew Arnold

students) picking online orders in silence from 2 am each morning, and

shelling out shopping through a click-and-collect service running at full

capacity, Tesco Cowley's system is now considered by many long-time

workers to be in overdrive – 'absolutely crazy,' and 'this is insane' are

phrases hourly exclaimed, alongside arguments in the canteen about

whether or not masks should be worn and how staff can be encouraged

to promote social distancing measures, given the backlash from some

customers.

There is also some disgruntlement over whether staff count as 'key' or

'essential' workers, and so qualify for testing and weekly applause.

Coronavirus-related deaths are of course far lower here than in the

NHS, but it is nevertheless a necessary service with some health risk.

And the work isn't easy. Being outside in a car park might be an

exclusive perk nowadays, but the constant lifting of heavy trays of food

is fairly full on, particularly for older colleagues, many of whom are

working four times as hard as before, for a 10% pay rise.

Supermarkets may not be first up for thank-yous, but for now, as an

impractical person hoping my questionable bagging abilities won't get

me sacked, I'll be accepting all the praise I can get.

Michael Jacobs

Love your Weeds

Every gardener is taught that weeds are bad. They compete for the

soil’s nutrition and moisture. But I find hard to hate the golden dandelion

– so important for nectar-collecting bees. Or to chop a daisy, star-bright

on the lawn. I even allow some bindweed to climb up a post because I

love its white trumpet flowers, virgin pure but heralding sheer bloody-

minded resilience.

And if you think I’m a soft-hearted romantic organic grower, with garden

unkempt and a riot of choking foliage, then let me explain. Weeds aren’t

all bad. Some are beautiful, some provide nutrition for the soil, and

many are helpful to beneficial insects. Along with your chosen plants,

they contribute to that all-important biodiversity that any growing area

needs. As Jack Wallington memorably wrote in his book Wild About

Weeds – weeds can be good, bad and indifferent. Like me, he is happy

to garden with these rebel plants.

Let’s look at the good ones: Weeds are sometimes the first flowers to

appear. So hungry bees and other insects emerging in early spring will

access their nectar. Daisies, dandelions and white dead-nettle are all in

full bloom in April. With cow parsley – loved by aphid-eating hoverflies –

hot on their heels.

Stinging nettles are a

remarkable plant. The

stems and leaves make an

excellent mineral-rich liquid

feed after soaking for a

week or so in a bucket of

water. Older stems are as

strong as string, and can

be used as a plant tie (use

gloves to cut stems,

plunge into boiling water

for a few minutes, weave a

couple into a rope and

then dry. You’ll not be able

to break it no matter how hard you pull.) Nettles are the food plant of

Red Admirals, Small Tortoiseshell and Comma butterflies. And the

seeds are used in herbal medicine to alleviate fatigue. You can also

give them to your chickens to encourage them to lay eggs, or so I was

told by Miss O’Malley, Botley’s former Health Visitor, remembering her

childhood on an Irish farm.

Edible weeds include ground elder (its young leaves are like spinach,

and equally full of goodness); fat hen is full of vitamin C; and a bramble

will treat you to autumn blackberries.

Some weeds are drop dead gorgeous. Leave single plants of rosebay

willow herb (clear all the others) to appreciate its remarkable

architectural splendour and rich reddish/pink flowers. Or keep a scatter

of brightly coloured poppies to liven your veg patch, and distract birds

from your strawberries. A small clump of self-seeded chamomile

between your patio stones will fill the air with fragrance as you tread

over them to sip an evening gin and tonic.

To weed or not to weed? Are brilliant blue forget-me-nots weeds? Or the

darker azure alkanet? The scarlet pimpernel and the lime green

spurge? I never invited them into my garden, but they enhance every

bed they pop up in. Weeds don’t need feeding or pruning. The only

maintenance is keeping on top of them, so that those you don’t want

don’t turn to seed, and those that you do can shine.

For advice on how to manage your weeds the organic way, go to

www.gardenorganic.org.uk/weed-management (especially worth reading

for advice on clearing your allotment without weedkillers).

Borrowed from Guy Singh Watson’s WickedLeeks, with local input

LOCAL PLANNING APPLICATIONS

P20/V0764/HH

64 Yarnells Hill. Single storey

ground floor front extension with

associated alterations.

16 March

Target Decision

Date 10 May

P20/V0670/FUL 56 Hurst Rise Rd. Erect 2 new 4 bed

dwellings with associated bin and

bike stores.

15 April

TDD: 10 June

P20/V0921/FUL

Botley Centre West Way. Demolish &

redevelop existing buildings for new

commercial use at ground floor level,

with 150 residential dwellings above.

Plus car parking & landscaping.

17 April

TDD: 17 July

Comments by

30 May

P20/V1049/HH 186 Westminster Way. Conversion of

existing detached garage to

habitable accommodation.

27 April

TDD: 22 June

Scarecrows Galore

What have people been doing during lockdown to keep their spirits up?

Here’s a response from the north side of West Way. Thanks to

Rosemary Ralphs for getting in touch to tell us about this creative

flourish.

”In Hazel Road we decided to cheer everybody up by creating a

selection of Scarecrows. One day we saw some crows around and

thought it would be a great idea to make these in time for the NHS Clap

for Carers. Many families have taken walks on the street with their

children to marvel at our creations and take photographs.“

The joyriders

The plumberThe gardener

Visual therapy

Are you like me, frustrated at not being able to get to art galleries

because of the COVID-19 lockdown? Help is at hand. Many museums

and galleries are staging online exhibitions, virtual tours through their

closed doors, and art history lectures, or interviews with exhibiting

artists. Check out my personal selection:

1. No place more familiar than the ASHMOLEAN, which has begun

the ambitious project of making all its collections viewable on line. Thus

far, they have exceeded 112,500 objects, including paintings, displayed

on an easily navigable site: collections.ashmolean.org.

2. Another local treasure is MODERN ART OXFORD, which has

generated a lively armchair gallery of its current exhibition: Enter Tools

for Life online and discover new insights into Johanna Unzueta’s works

with short videos, behind-the-scenes moments, curator’s notes,

children’s activities and more: modernartoxford.org.uk

3. Or you could take a virtual wander up to London and view the

ROYAL SOCIETY of WATERCOLOUR ARTISTS' exhibition at the MALL

GALLERIES, together with a 2-minute interview with one of their prize-

winners: mallgalleries.org.uk.

4. Or go even further afield to Chichester, home of the excellent

PALLANT HOUSE GALLERY, which features illustrated descriptions of

the exhibitions they have put on hold during the necessary closure,

together with a relatively long discourse on a particular painter or

movement: pallant.org.uk.

5. Alternatively, you could subscribe to the ART FUND, which in

view of all the closures is highlighting online a variety of visual treats;

currently they are visiting displays at the Birmingham Museum & Art

Gallery; the Courtauld Institute; Kettle's Yard and the National Gallery:

artfund.org.

6. Lastly, why not stay really local and visit our very own BOTLEY

ARTS' website, featuring work by local painters, printmakers and

photographers: botleyarts.com.

As they say in New York, sit back and: ENJOY!

Ruth Cameron

Randoms

A version of “Over the Rainbow” for our times, sung in McDonalds’

empty car park by Old Botley residents on 1st May:

Someday, after the lockdown

Who knows when

There’s a land that I heard of

Once in a happy dream.

Someday, after the lockdown

Skies are blue

There all the dreams you dare to dream

Really do come true

Wish I could wish upon a star

And wake up with the virus far behind me

Where doctors have a well-earned rest,

And we’ve reclaimed the NHS,

That’s where you’ll find me!

Someday, after the lockdown,

Swallows fly,

chasing the insects

in the sky.

Wish I could wish upon a star

And wake up with the contrails far behind me.

With no more melting polar caps,

And no more wages gender gaps,

That’s where you’ll find me!

Someday, after the lockdown,

Skies are blue,

There all the dreams you dare to dream,

Really do come true!

The Tap Social Movement

Glad to report that the Tap Social Movement looks fit to survive the

crisis. Rumour has it that the splendid sales of home delivered beer and

the ongoing furlough arrangements have enabled it to stay afloat.

‘Botley in Bloom 2020’

Remember that front garden competition

that used to have neighbours competing to

dazzle the world with their beautiful creations?

Inspired by Linda Losito’s article in March, and

spurred by the current crisis and the need to

keep healthy and go outside, the Sprout has

joined with North Hinksey Parish Council to revive

Botley in Bloom. There will be three categories:

1. Best Overall Front Garden

2. Best Car Bower – surrounding your front garden

parking space with greenery and flowers

3. Best Vegetable Element – a front garden that features

vegetables, though these need not be the whole story.

It would be nice to have a children’s competition – tallest sunflower,

perhaps, but that couldn’t be judged till rather later. Meanwhile, we’re

hoping we’ll be able to do the judging in June when flowers are at their

best. If you plan to play a part in this exciting neighbourhood event, fill in

the form below and send it back to editor@thesprout.org.uk over the

next few weeks. Closing date is June 1st.

Botley in Bloom 2020

I would like to enter the Botley in Bloom competition

Name (please print)………...…………………………………….

Address ………………………………………..….………………..

Contact details: email …………..…………….. phone ………………

Please tick relevant category

Category 1 (Overall)

Category 2 (Car bower)

Category 3 (Vegetable element)

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J4KLM'K5'NK'OJ!(8:30am!to!8:00pm!Mon!to!Fri,!9:00am!–! 5:00pm !Sat!and!Sun)!

or!email!<,)-7(F$GH$%(<,)%->+$?>"9'

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Free!food!deliveries!for!those!in!need!and!

to!reduce!waste:!!!food@mypho n e.co op!!!

or!phone!or!text:!07759!135811!!

V$$('(-7)?-%)-<'H%$A'D$&7-='.$3$#I''

(limited!support!from!local!store!for!those!

isolated!at!home;!payments!taken !o ver!

phone):!!01865!721935'

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Helpline!for!older!local!people:!!01865!411!

288.!!www.ageuk.org.uk/oxfordshire'!

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free!and!confidential:!!0800!1111!

www.childline.org.uk'

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For!adults:!01865!904!997!!

For!children!&!young!people:!01865!904!

998!!

!CAC%)&C*<:!116!123!

/GH$%(<,)%-'Z)*(:!01865!247788!

/GH$%(<,)%-'($A-<&)8'CB"<-',-7#7)*-I!!

0800!731!0055!(MonQFri!10Q19:00)'

UK!Domestic!Violence!helpline:!0808!2000!

247!(24!hour)!

Z-()8C7I''

Prescription!deliveries!(by!local!Scouts):!!

07514!059123!or:!spdsoxford@gmail.com!

Botley!Medical!Centre:!01865!248719!

Lloyds!Pharmacy:!01865!247023!

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For!all!concerns:!111!

https://www.nhs.uk/'

Stay!safe!–!stay!home!–!use!these!services!

COVID-19

Community Hub website and Botley Responders

For all you need to know for local and national support during the

lockdown visit the COVID-19 community hub page on the parish council

website: https://northhinksey-pc.gov.uk/covid-19-community-hub/

The hub includes sections on how to get support, medical and

prescription services, food deliveries and shop opening details, how to

stay connected, keep fit and stay mentally healthy, council services,

financial advice, how to volunteer and things to do for all the family.

The Things to do Section includes ways to safely enjoy the outdoors

plus online exercise, art and crafts like Artweeks online, music, free

online learning, a local weekly pub quiz and much more. Stay fit, learn

and enjoy while supporting your local small businesses.

The hub also has links to our list of Botley Responders – over 50

volunteer street coordinators who represent their roads, providing

information and support, setting up local street WhatsApp and email

groups, delivering leaflets, helping with shopping and friendly phone

calls to make sure no-one is cut off even if they have to self-isolate. A

huge thank you to everyone who has volunteered to help in their street

and to put the resources together for the website.

We still have some streets without representatives and other volunteer

opportunities so if you can help please email

BotleyResponders@gmail.com Please check the web page regularly

as it is kept continually up-to-date. Lorna Berrett

The Sprout

The Newsleer for North Hinksey & Botley

Directors: Janet Bartlam, Judi Bolder, J o h n C l e ments,

Michael Cockman, A g MacKeith, Robin Palmer

Editor

Ag MacKeith

South View House, Old Botley, OX2 0JR Tel: 724452 Editor@TheSprout.org.uk

Advertising Manager

Michael Cockman

50, St Paul's Crescent OX2 9AG Tel: 07766 317691 Adverts@TheSprout.org.uk

Deliveries

Bhee Bellew and Robin Cox

15 Seacourt Road, OX2 9LD Tel: 790648 Deliveries@TheSprout.org.uk

Copy Date: Copy by 15th of month preceding publication. Earlier submission is

welcome. Later contributions may have to be held over to the next issue.

Advertisements: If you have print-ready advertisements in the correct format

the last day for booking advertising is the 10th of the month preceding

publication; in all other circumstances more advance notice will be needed. For

details about exact sizes, quality requirements, advice on text and help with

production, please contact the Advertising Manager.

Advertising rates:

½ page: 1 issue £56; 3 issues £135; 5 issues £182; 10 issues; £308

¼ page: 1 issue £28; 3 issues £67.50; 5 issues £91; 10 issues; £154

1/8 page: 1 issue £14; 3 issues £33.75; 5 issues £45.50; 10 issues; £77

Subscriptions: If you live outside North Hinksey Parish you can still receive The

Sprout on a regular basis. Just take out a postal subscription – only £10 per annum,

delivered to your door. Contact: Carol Kramer 01865 243002.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information printed in this

newsletter, mistakes may happen. The Editor and Team apologize unreservedly for any

errors that may occur and will do their best to correct them. This publication is not a

vehicle of the parish council, and parish councillors working with the Sprout do so in a

personal capacity. Opinions expressed are the opinions of the individual contributors.

All concerned in the production and delivery of The Sprout are unpaid

volunteers.

The Sprout is (normally) printed by Dataprint L t d , a n d is published

by North Hinksey Parish Publications Ltd, (a company limited by

guarantee) Registration No. 05609535 .

It can also be found online at BotleyHinksey. o r g . u k